"..."
Kurose Akira narrowed his eyes slightly, fixing his gaze on Lucia.
Kiss the ground beneath her feet?What kind of bizarre reward was that?
Wait—could it be some kind of special ritual?A way of expressing supreme reverence through kissing the earth she stood upon?
As these thoughts raced through his mind, several soldiers in full armor approached them.
Judging by the fine craftsmanship of their armor, their ranks were clearly not low.
"Thank you both for stepping in. If not for your intervention, our forces would have suffered catastrophic losses."
A female officer with short black hair stepped forward and bowed slightly toward Akira and Lucia.
"Just doing what we could," Akira replied with a faint smile.
"You are—!?"
Suddenly, when the officer looked closely at Akira, a flash of shock crossed her eyes, as if she had just realized she was standing before someone extraordinary.
"…Is something wrong?"Akira frowned slightly, confusion rising within him.
He noticed that the soldiers he had spoken to earlier were wearing similar expressions—as though they recognized him. That only deepened his bewilderment. He was certain he had never met these soldiers before.
"So you're a friend of the Lady Baroness. Please forgive our lack of hospitality."
The officer immediately straightened, her demeanor turning respectful as she clasped her fist to her chest in salute.
"Baroness?"A trace of puzzlement flickered across Akira's face—before understanding dawned.
This Red Maple Leaf Territory… could it belong to Idis?
"I see."
At that moment, the officer seemed to receive instructions from someone else. She nodded solemnly, then turned back to Akira.
"The Lady Baroness requests your presence. Please follow me."
Akira frowned slightly. Considering it was already late and continuing deeper into the demon lair was no longer feasible, he decided to comply and followed her.
They were invited into a carriage, which quickly departed from the front lines. When the carriage came to a halt and they stepped down, a resplendent estate came into view.
The courtyard was filled with blooming red roses, their intoxicating fragrance confirming Akira's suspicion at once—
This was undoubtedly Idis's domain.
"Please go in. The Lady Baroness has been awaiting you."
The officer led Akira to the door of a room and gently pushed it open.
"Mm."
Akira nodded and entered together with Lucia.
The moment he stepped inside, a familiar figure caught his eye.
Idis was reclining leisurely on a sofa, savoring black tea. In her slender, elegant fingers, she held a crystal suffused with flickering flames—a sight that immediately drew Akira's attention.
[Flame Magic Stone (Epic): A consumable item capable of temporarily sealing flames.]
Temporarily sealing flames?
Akira stared at the Flame Magic Stone in Idis's hand, doubt rising in his mind.
If it merely sealed flames temporarily, how could it warrant Epic rarity?
Unless… it could seal any flame?
As he pondered this, Idis's sultry voice rang out.
"How did you end up in my territory?"
As she spoke, a hint of curiosity flashed through her eyes as they shifted to Lucia beside him.
At that instant, the gazes of the two women met—and an indescribable current passed silently between them.
"We happened to be carrying out a mission in the area and ended up entering your territory by coincidence," Akira said as he sat down on the sofa opposite Idis. Lucia followed and took a seat beside him.
The moment Lucia sat down, Idis abandoned her lounging posture and straightened, crossing her legs lightly. Her skirt clung to her thighs, perfectly outlining the long, elegant lines of her legs.
"You're here for the demon lair, aren't you?" Idis continued. "I've been occupied with other matters recently and haven't had the time to handle it personally. If you intend to go deeper and destroy the lair, this should help."
As she spoke, she casually tossed the Flame Magic Stone toward Akira.
Akira caught it and nodded. "Yes. We're here because of the demon lair."
"Oh—right!"
Suddenly remembering something, Akira took out the severed succubus tail and added, "Your kin seemed to be plotting revenge against you. You should be careful."
"I didn't expect you to be so concerned about my affairs," Idis said with a faint smile. "But rest assured—I've already dealt with it."
All the succubi who had escaped from the Abyss had long since been eliminated by her.
"That's good."Akira nodded thoughtfully.
Though he didn't fully understand Idis's methods, considering this was retaliation from the entire succubus race, caution was certainly warranted.
"And this lady is…?"Idis turned her attention to Lucia, a faint red glimmer flashing in her crimson eyes.
"Lucia. A new member of my guild," Akira introduced her."Lucia, this is Idis—my… a female friend."
"Idis, the Rose Baroness of the Starfall Kingdom. A woman whose beauty outshines the stars themselves—I've heard of you," Lucia said with a polite nod.
Idis merely smiled faintly at the praise, then turned to Akira.
"Come with me for a moment."
"?"Akira rose with a puzzled look and said to Lucia, "Please wait here for a bit."
"Alright."
He then followed Idis into the adjoining room.
The moment they entered, Idis moved toward him without hesitation.
Caught off guard, Akira retreated instinctively until his back pressed firmly against the wall.
The distance between them shrank to less than ten centimeters—so close that Akira could clearly sense the faint, alluring fragrance carried in her breath.
In that intimate moment, Idis's expression abruptly turned serious.
"Do you know what kind of person has just joined your guild?" she asked.
"Yes. A Saintess of the Radiant Church," Akira replied, nodding.
"A Saintess of the Radiant Church? Are you certain?"Idis's lips curved into a playful smile. She gently pinched the tip of Akira's nose with her fingertips and whispered,"As far as I know, among the seven Saintesses currently serving the Radiant Church… there isn't a single one named Lucia."
"There isn't?"Akira's brows knitted tightly, confusion surging through him.
Then… is Lucia not truly a Saintess of the Radiant Church? Or is there some deeper secret?
"However, that's not why I called you here."
Idis turned and walked toward the window, gazing out toward the direction of the demon lair.
"In the lair resides Virgil, a Flame Demon commanding a legion of fire," she said softly."I'm stationed here, which is why he dares not leave the lair. However, the lair itself contains restrictions that prevent me from acting directly. That's why I want you to defeat him. Naturally, I'll assist you."
"…Alright."
After a brief moment of contemplation, Akira accepted.
With Idis's help, the difficulty of destroying the demon lair would be reduced considerably.
Three hundred contribution points…
"Also," Idis added, "the magic stone I gave you can seal Virgil's Undying Flame, weakening him significantly. Just be careful about when you use it."
"I'll remember that."
Akira nodded, committing her words to memory.
At the very moment he agreed, a new notification appeared in his vision.
[Side Quest Acquired: Slay the Flame Demon Virgil!][Reward: Ultra-Rare Trait — Undying Flame!]